Frequently Asked Questions
Gopher Request FAQs
What are your hours?
Gopher Requests are available 24/7/365. If there is a Gopher requested and a Gopher available, we go to work!
How much does it cost to use the Gopher app?
Gopher Fees range from $0.99 to $4.99 depending on type of service requested, plus an Instant Transfer Fee of 8% of the total request offered. This fee covers the operating cost to ensure the Gopher is paid immediately upon completing your request.
For example, if you made a request for a Delivery, wanting to pay a Gopher a total of $30, it would cost $33.47. (Cost of Goods = $20, Gopher Offer = $10, Gopher Fee = $0.99 and Instant Transfer Fee = $2.48) The Gopher would receive all $30 of your offer, costing you only $3.47 to use the app.
What if I don't know the Cost of Goods available for my order?
Knowing the product cost (including applicable tax and/or fees), availability and store hours is important because once the Gopher accepts the request, they are doing it in good faith that everything requested is available and priced accordingly. This allows you to order the items you need without costly markups. In the event the cost of goods submitted is a little off, your Gopher can submit a COST ADJUSTMENT for the correct amount.
What info should I put in my request?
Your request should be as descriptive as possible… the more info the better. Keep in mind, no-one knows what you want done better than you, so take your time in describing EXACTLY what it is you want so there is no confusion. Example of what not to do: “Need mulch spread in my backyard.” Example of what to do: “I need 12 yards of mulch laid in my backyard. Mush have own equipment (while also supplying any relevant picture available) *Also, we strongly recommend NOT putting your phone number in the request. We’ve provided the ability to communicate before and during your request through the app.
How is Gopher different than other Home Services providers?
Most people have been conditioned to Google the type of service they need for the home (or ask for recommendations on their favorite social platform). Either way it’s you that ends up having to search for all the help. On the Gopher Marketplace, you list the service you need done, for the price you’re willing to pay (or you can ask for a bid) and the help comes to you. You can then see each workers ratings, reviews, work history and recommendations to make your selection.
Home Service providers on the Gopher Go app will find it refreshing that they don’t have to pay for leads to see jobs, they’ll know exactly how much they’re being paid for a job before starting and are paid immediately once the job is complete.
I meant to sign up for Gopher Go but signed up for Gopher Request, how do I change that? (Or vice-versa)
If you inadvertently signed up for the opposite Gopher app, don’t sweat it. Your Gopher profile applies to both apps. Just download the correct app and sign in with your phone number, apply the OTP and you’re all set! At the bottom of the apps home page, you’ll see a Refer App icon. When you open the link, you’ll see your referral code. When you refer friends via the Message and/or Email feature, you will see a “check referral status,” showing all pending SMS and Emails sent, as well as those who signed up from your referral link.
How do I report an app issue?
If you inadvertently signed up for the opposite Gopher app, don’t sweat it. Your Gopher profile applies to both apps. Just download the correct app and sign in with your phone number, apply the OTP and you’re all set! At the bottom of the apps home page, you’ll see a Refer App icon. When you open the link, you’ll see your referral code. When you refer friends via the Message and/or Email feature, you will see a “check referral status,” showing all pending SMS and Emails sent, as well as those who signed up from your referral link.
Can I request age-restricted products?
Yes, during the request submission process, you must agree to our age-restricted waiver, stating you understand you must show a valid ID before receiving any age-restricted items, and acknowledge if an order is placed without being able to provide a valid ID at delivery, there will not be a refund for the cost of the items nor the Gopher offer. Our unwavering here represents our commitment to follow the letter and spirt of the law, ensuring minors, or any other ineligible parties, are unable to use the Gopher app for Age-Restricted item delivery and/or purchase.
Is there a minimum order needed to make a request?
No, you can make any offer amount for any request you choose. However, if you’re new to Gopher, please look at your offer as a wage and not a “tip.” The Gopher platform is a marketplace and therefore the Gophers you hire work for you and not Gopher, Inc. Gopher is not a guaranteed fulfillment platform where undervalued tips are accepted. For example, if you’re wanting a unique delivery service, where your Gopher will spend somewhere between 1/2 hour to an hour, think about what it would take for you to do that job. When the offer is fair, you’ll get whatever you need FAST! If the offer isn’t realistic to a working wage, you likely won’t.
If no one accepts your request, it will expire and there will not be a charge, not even a pre-authorization.
What should I do when my request is accepted?
Your Gopher is encouraged to start correspondence with you immediately after accepting a request. If you’ve chosen FIRST AVAILABLE and/or NOTIFY A FAVORITE GOPHER no action is needed on your part. You’ll see where your Gopher is located from start to finish and receive alerts at each relevant stage of the process. If you chose the SELECT MY GOPHER option, you’ll be able to review each interested Gopher’s ratings, reviews and work history prior to making your selection.
How can I see my previous orders?
On the App’s dashboard at the bottom of the screen, select “Account” and then “Request History.” You will be able to see all previously completed, expired and/or cancelled requests. From there, you can select REQUEST AGAIN (making any changes you want as well).
Am I able to see when my gopher will arrive?
Yes, for requests involving a pick up and drop off, once your Gopher selects “in-progress,” your request screen will show a map of the Gophers location relative to the destination(s).
What criteria do I use to rate my Gopher?
Please rate your Gopher on accuracy, their communication (keeping you informed as to the status of your request), quality of work and timeliness of completing your request.
What address do I enter if my request has multiple addresses?
Enter the final destination address when entering the address of a “multiple-stop” request, then enter the other address(s) in the description section. (*) We recommend entering the address of a store vs just the name in the event there is more than 1 location.
What type of purchase protection do I have when making a request?
When you submit your request and it is accepted, Gopher, Inc. transfers the money from the method of payment you’ve selected, to a holding account to ensure the entire request amount is available once the request is completed. In the event the request is not completed, the money authorized will be released back to the card on file. Please see our Terms and Conditions as to any related scenarios regarding payments, refunds or disputes. This is a VERY important part of our business, so ensuring we’re efficient, safe and secure with all transactions will always be at the forefront of our business model. We understand this is as equally important to our users and that is exactly why we chose Stripe as our trusted payment transaction partner.
If I accept a request, can I cancel it?
If your request is accepted and the Gopher has updated the request to “in-progress,” you may be charged up to $5 for cancelling. In addition to the $5 cancellation fee, if your Gopher has updated the request to “items purchased” (representing they have already incurred a cost), you may be responsible for the items purchased amount as well. Please see our Terms and Conditions for complete details.
What if my Gopher delivered me wrong item(s)?
If your Gopher brings you the wrong item(s), and your description (including pic) are clear, you can dispute your request in the app. Suggested options for the Gopher would be to return to the store where purchased and exchange for the correct item(s) or cancel the order (which results in no charge to you). In this scenario, resolution is between the Requestor and the Gopher. The features in the app can perform to whatever your resolution is. If you ever need help in a situation like this, please don’t hesitate to contact at support@gophergo.io.
What is the difference between "You Make the Offer" and "Allow a Gopher to Make the Offer"?
Users have the option to set the price for a service (“You make the price offer“) or if unsure what a fair price would be for what you’re asking, you can broadcast your request for Gophers to bid on (“Allow a Gopher to make the offer“). If you select for a Gopher to make the offer, you can accept or decline the offers as the come in.
How do I use the Favorite Gopher option?
You can add to your Favorite Gophers list the following ways:
1) Go to Account🡪Request History, a checkbox to add the Gopher who completed your request is available.
2) At the end of a completed request, during the ratings portion, you can also add that Gopher as a Favorite.
After you have at least 1 Favorite Gopher added, when submitting a request, added to the “First Available” and “Select My Gopher” options will be “Notify one of my Favorite Gophers.” Selecting this will ensure that your Favorite Gopher is notified before anyone else. If that Gopher isn’t available, it will default to “Select My Gopher” for you to choose.
Can I use contactless delivery for age-restricted items?
No, Negative, Never! During the request submission process, you must agree to our age-restricted waiver, stating you understand you must show a valid ID before receiving any age-restricted items, and acknowledge if an order is placed without being able to provide a valid ID at delivery, there will not be a refund for the cost of the items nor the Gopher offer. Our unwavering here represents our commitment to follow the letter and spirt of the law, ensuring minors, or any other ineligible party, are unable to use the Gopher app for Age-Restricted item delivery and/or purchase.
Why isn’t my request being accepted?
There are usually only a couple reasons a request isn’t accepted:
- We may not have enough Gophers in your area yet. Anytime a request is submitted in a new area, we get to work on recruiting available Gophers in that area (please be patient with us as we’re just venturing outside of Raleigh, NC).
- The offer may have been deemed too low for the Gophers in your area. Remember the offer to your Gopher is 100% of what they make for the job. They work for you, not Gopher, Inc. We encourage you to look at it this way, “I’m hiring you to do X for $Y.” On our end, if your offer is below the average accepted offer, you’ll see a pop-up and we’ll share what the average offer for that request category is. That said, you can still offer whatever amount you want.
I have the latest version of the app but it isn’t performing well.
In some cases, especially with iOS, previous version bugs will stick around. A known remedy here is to delete the app from your phone and reinstall (Do NOT delete your Gopher account, just the app on your phone) This will remove all previous version data from your phone. Reinstalling the app will likely solve the issue. In the rare case it doesn’t, please report the bug in here: More 🡪 Help Center 🡪 Report A Bug and we’ll quickly get to work to resolve the issue.
Gopher Go FAQs
What are your hours?
Gopher Requests are available 24/7/365. If there is a Gopher requested and a Gopher available, we go to work!
Why is there Cost Of Goods Amount?
Anytime there is a “Cost of Goods” amount listed in a request, that means the Requestor is paying you that amount, to pay on their behalf. For example, if you want a meal delivered from a Food Truck, and that Food Truck has no way for the Requestor to pay for the food in advance, they will enter the amount in the Cost of Goods section for you to pay on their behalf. Therefore you will have to pay for the items yourself initially (the money will already be in escrow and GUARANTEED to you immediately upon completion.) We understand this is different than most fulfilment apps, however this keeps costs for everyone involved way down. The Merchants, Requesters and Gophers all benefit this way. If you aren’t interested in these transactions or do not have the funds to cover the Cost of Goods, please DO NOT accept the request.
When do I receive my payout?
When a Gopher signs up, they receive their 1st 10 payouts at Stripe’s “Standard” US payout speed (2 business days). After 10 successfully completed requests, their payout status is upgraded to “Instant” and from there, payouts are immediately deposited after a completed request. Payouts are triggered when a Gopher updates the request status to “Complete” in the app. This triggers an SMS and App notification to the Requestor. They then select “Confirmed” or “Did Not Complete”. When “Confirmed” is selected, the money will be transferred to the Gophers bank account. In the rare event the Requestor is unable (or forgets) to select confirmed on their end, payout automatically occurs after 48 hours.
What does "Make Me An Offer" mean?
We’ve added a new feature for when a Requestor doesn’t know exactly what a fair offer would be for a service. A Gopher will see exactly what is needed and where the price offer is normally listed, it will say, “Make Me An Offer“. If interested, they can accept the request and enter their cost for materials (if applicable) and how much they want to charge for the service. The bid will then be sent to the Requestor, where they can accept or decline the offer.
I meant to sign up for Gopher Request but signed up for Gopher Go, how do I change that? (Or vice-versa)
If you inadvertently signed up for the opposite Gopher app, don’t sweat it. Your Gopher profile applies to both apps. Just download the correct app and sign in with your phone number, apply the OTP and you’re all set!
At the bottom of the apps home page, you’ll see a Refer App icon. When you open the link, you’ll see your referral code. When you refer friends via the Message and/or Email feature, you will see a “check referral status,” showing all pending SMS and Emails sent, as well as those who signed up from your referral link.
Home Service providers on the Gopher Go app will find it refreshing that they don’t have to pay for leads to see jobs, they’ll know exactly how much they’re being paid for a job before starting and are paid immediately once the job is complete.
How do I report an app issue?
In the “More” section of the app (bottom left icon on floorboard, you’ll see the Help Center link. From there you’ll see the “Report A Bug” link and from there complete the info. This is very helpful in resolving issues, so we sincerely thank you in advance if you’re ever able to help us identify a bug that snuck though an update.
How can I set up my payout account if I don't have an ID?
Unfortunately, there is no way around this. However, Stripe offers several options to use for verification (Passport, Passport Card, Driver’s License, State Issued ID Card, Resident Permit ID / US Green Card, Border Crossing Card, Child ID Card, NYC Card, US Visa Card and Birth Certificate).
If I accept a request, can I cancel it?
If a Gopher accepts a request, they are obligated to complete it. If they cancel the request before completing it, there is up to a $5 fee incurred. Please see our Terms of Use for complete details.
If no one accepts your request, it will expire and there will not be a charge, not even a pre-authorization.
If I counter a request, am I obligated to take it?
Yes, the counter offer feature is just like accepting a request. If you submit a counter offer, you are accepting the request, for the amount you think is fair and are willing to work for. If the Requestor accepts your counter offer, you’re obligated to complete it.
How can I get more information regarding a pending request?
Gophers can communicate to Requestors through the in-app messaging link. When you open a request from the request queue, you will see “MESSAGE REQUESTER.” This link is to be used exclusively for getting more information about a request and not exchanging numbers/emails to circumvent the app.
What if 2+ Gophers are requested?
When a request calls for 2 or more Gophers, the Gopher who accepts the request will receive the entire offer for the job once completed. It is the responsibility of the Gopher who accepts the request to ensure they have the additional help. The amount is not multiplied by the number of Gophers requested. If the amount of the offer is not enough to cover the crew needed in the opinion of the Gopher, it is recommended to not accept the request. It is very important to not accept a 2+ job if you cannot find the additional help. Accepting and then cancelling because the specified request criteria cannot be met may cause removal from the platform.
Why do I have to pay for the items requested?
If you are looking to accept a request where a purchase is needed, these require an initial out of pocket expense. This amount, along with the offer, are paid out immediately after the request is completed. You are never required to accept a “purchase needed” request and can always just ignore them. Because the Gopher marketplace doesn’t have structures partnerships/contracts with venders, users avoid having to pay extreme mark-ups as a result. When it comes to certain items requested, there are not options to purchase in advance online or through an app, so the cost of goods option is how these are provided. All age restricted items requested cannot be delivered by a Gopher under 21 years old and cannot received by a user under 21 years old without providing legal government issued identification.
Do I need to keep a receipt of items purchased?
Yes, it is always in your best interested to save receipts of items purchased for up to 60 days. Although disputes are very rare, you may need to provide a receipt if a dispute is filed regarding a request you performed.
What if a request asks for an age-restricted items to be dropped off without contact?
Albeit rare, sometimes a user will write in the special instructions to drop off an age-restricted items without contact. This CANNOT be honored, EVER. It is every Gopher’s responsibility to physically check for a valid ID before the delivery of age-restricted products is completed. Never feel bad for asking, there are no other legal options on any platform. You can always message the requestor prior to accepting a request to ensure they understand.
I completed the order so why hasn’t the Requestor confirmed yet.
Although rare, sometimes the requestor might not have access to their device at the time of completion. Once you select complete, we send the Requester a text and app alert. We continue to text reminders until it is confirmed OR 48 hours passes. In the case of the latter, the payout is automatically initiated. As a best practice, when in the presence of the requestor for a completed job, we encourage you to let them know they will be receiving a confirmation alert and to please confirm it as that is what initiates your payout.
If you’re needing additional support or have additional questions, we’re here to help. Reach out to us today.
